
Surely only pontificating about the “greater jihad” against the self?
Just another instance of a mischievous young man rejecting turn-the-other-cheek-Christianity for Islam, as the latter better comports with his “primordial” instincts? The oddest revelation about this story is that Muslims murdered his parents, and his Christian grandparents took him in and raised him. Yet, for all that, he rejected Christianity (the faith of those who rescued him) for Islam (the faith of those who murdered his parents). Not too surprising when one considers that most Muslims today, who are otherwise such staunch defenders of Islam, had forefathers who were compelled or killed in order to join the fold of Islam.
“Healing touch: Gangsta finds peace in Islam,” by Awad Mustafa for Express, September 4:
From being on top of the glitzy, glamorous world of hip-hop and rap, Napoleon, former rapper of the Outlawz, chose to dump it all and turn to Islam.
Fed up with the world of multi-million dollar record sales and a life built around vice, drugs and alcohol, he decided to follow the teachings of Islam and become a devout practitioner.
Because, of course, one has to be Muslim in order to reject these? As for “multi-million dollar record sales” (i.e., worldly wealth and vanity) actually, other faiths — particularly Christianity — stress the need to reject these, as opposed to Islam, which sees a correlation between wealth, power, and prestige on the one hand, and Islamic truth on the other.
Napoleon, aka Mutah Wassin Shabazz Beale, was in Dubai recently, delivering a lecture on the dangers of “˜gangsta culture” at the Jumeirah Islamic Learning Centre, while talking about his journey to Islam.
Journey to Islam
“I really felt empty inside when my career peaked at 25. I thought that when I made it and had the money and mansions, I would be happy, but the more I got, the emptier I felt.” It was then that Napoleon found peace in Islam. The 30-year-old today lectures around the world about his experience and educates youth against misleading interpretations of hip-hop and gangsta culture.
“I want to bring my family out of America to a Muslim country where I can hear the adhan [call to prayer] five times a day,” he said.
Born in Newark, New Jersey on October 11, 1977, the former rapper was born to Muslim parents: Father Salek Beale and Puerto Rican mother Aquillah Beale who converted to Islam under the influence of Malcolm X in the “60s. However, they had to pay a heavy price for following Malcolm X when he disassociated himself from the Nation of Islam.
When Napoleon was three years old, his parents and his two brothers were murdered in front of him by former friends and members of the Nation of Islam.
Napoleon then moved in with his Christian grandparents and his remaining two siblings.
Turning Point
In 1994, he started rapping and fortune smiled on him when he met Tupac Shakur and started rapping with him. The Outlawz were formed and the talented lyricist released five albums with the group who signed with Death Row Records after the tragic demise of Tupac Shakur in 1996.
“What really saddened me was to see the young boys here trying to be gangsta and aspiring to wrong beliefs and idols,” he said.
“Three years ago, I came to Abu Dhabi to meet my in-laws and start a business in Saudi Arabia. But I ended up staying here for four months. I will be moving to Abu Dhabi within the coming year.”
Today, Napoleon is a father of two boys, Salek and Mohammad, and is married to a Yemeni-born Canadian.